Jasmines Juice- The ACLT Black & White Ball 2018.

On Saturday night the great and the good of the arts & culture community came together at the Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square, after a hiatus of nearly ten years to resurrect the annual ACLT Ball which this year had a back and white theme.ACLT FOUNDERS BEVERLEY AND ORIN DE-GALE.

ACLT was founded in 1996 by Beverley De-Gale, OBE, and Orin Lewis, OBE, 3 years after receiving the devastating news that their 6-year-old son Daniel De-Gale needed a stem cell transplant in order to win his 6-year battle against acute leukaemia.

ACTRESS CHIZZY AKUDOLU, MC AKALA AND JASMINE AT THE ACLT BALL 2018.

ACLT is a 30+ times award winning charity committed to providing hope to patients living with blood cancer and illnesses where a matched donor (stem cell, blood or organ) is required to save a life. Our work is driven by a belief that no one should die waiting for a donor to become available.ACTOR, FILM PRODUCER FEMI OYENIRAN IS ON THE PROMO RUN FOR HIS FILM -THE INTENT 2- AND WON THE RAFFLE ON THE NIGHT!(5MINS AFTER THIS PIC WAS TAKEN!- I MUST’VE BEEN HIS LUCKY CHARM!)

Through their work, the ACLT improve odds of finding matches by registering potential donors en masse from all ethnicities, with a focus on donors from the African and Caribbean communities. This is due to an extreme shortage of potential African and Caribbean donors.MY GIRL SQUAD ARE ALWAYS EXCITED TO DRESS UP…HERE ARE PR WOMEN JODIE DALMEDA AND JESSICA HUIE MBE, ME, AND THE BBC’S JAY DAVIDSON.

Celebrity hosts hosted 30 tables for guests and a sumptuous dinner and entertainment was had by all.JAHMENE’S SINGING BROUGHT THE HOUSE DOWN!

Entertainment included the incredible saxophonist Yolanda Brown as well as singer Jahmene whose rendition of Whitney Houston’s (via Dolly Parton) ‘I will always love you’ went down a storm.GUESTS INCLUDING ACTRESS ELLEN THOMAS AND ACLT FOUNDER HAD A GREAT TIME- I AM NOW IN MY TRACKSUIT AND TRAINERS COS I NEEDED TO DANCE AND MY FEET WERE NOT HAPPY IN THOSE SILVER STILETTOS! (I’M STILL IN BLACK AND WHITE… 😉

Money and awareness was raised all evening for the ACLT cause and guests were reminded to give blood and get on the ACLT blood donor and organ donor register.ACTORS CHARLES VENN AND DANNY JOHN-JULES CAME STRAIGHT FROM THE BBC AND STRICTLY COME DANCING WITH THEIR WIVES TO SUPPORT THE ACLT. THEY WERE MOST EXCITED ABOUT SEEING BOXER RAY FEARON!

ACLT also provide support and advice to patients and their families throughout medical treatment, from diagnosis to recovery and sadly (in some cases), while supporting the patient and family during ‘end of life’: where treatments have not been successful.MY FELLOW HARLESDEN-ITE – THE INCREDIBLY GIFTED WORDSMITH GEORGE THE POET PASSED THROUGH TOO.

The ACLT’s underlying ethos is to educate communities across the UK by raising awareness about stem cell, blood and organ donation.CELEBS OUT IN FORCE FOR THE ACLT BALL 2018!

I was honoured to host table 26 which was mostly made up of people that the ACLT is currently supporting and just listening to their experience and journeys so far made me feel honoured to have hosted their table. What heroes!

The ACLT’s work raises awareness of the urgent need for stem cell, blood and organ donors within the UK population across all races, but with a key focus on the black, mixed race, Asian, ethnic minority communities. They work closely within these areas due to the severe lack of individuals signed to the registers from these communities.

PARTY PEOPLE DANCING FOR THE ACLT!

The ACLT believe there should be an unrelated donor waiting for everyone who is in desperate need of a lifesaving transplant – if we all play our part, together we can help put an end to the many lives being needlessly lost as a result of a matched donor not being found at the time someone needs help.ACTOR AND STRICTLY COME DANCING CONTESTANT DANNY JOHN-JULES KEEEEPS DANCINGGG!